


Standing Firm in the Shadow's Sway

by Zazibine



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen, Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, And the Devastation They Cause, Angst, BAMF Nara Shikamaru, BAMF Uchiha Sasuke, Can be read as shippy if you like, Destruction, Fire, Gen, Giant Robots, Grief/Mourning, Hope, If by robots you mean chakra-powered super heroes, Kurama may be sentient but he still killed a lot of people, Minor Character Death, Rebirth, Silver Queen's Dreaming of Sunshine Universe, Temporary Character Death, The Author Regrets Nothing, Violence, Warring States Period (Naruto), Weapons of Mass Destruction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:07:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24918817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zazibine/pseuds/Zazibine
Summary: There are consequences, Shikako knows, to getting reincarnated. The butterfly effect is just one of them.In which Sasuke and Shikako get reincarnated into the warring clans era as the younger siblings of Uchiha Madara and Nara Shikaki and their bond helps them convince their families to end the fighting early. Now they get to reap what they've sown, and maybe do something cool along the way.
Relationships: Nara Shikako & Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 28
Kudos: 489
Collections: Heliocentrism — a Dreaming of Sunshine recursive collection





	1. Of a Memory of Death

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Restricted Work] by [MathIsMagic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MathIsMagic/pseuds/MathIsMagic). Log in to view. 



> I recommend reading MathisMagic's work first if you want this make a bit more sense. This piece takes place sometime after the events of that story, and Konoha has been founded early thanks to Madara getting the whack upside the head he needed to make him realize that the longer the war goes on, the more danger his brothers will be in.

The hokage monument is finally complete, and Shikako has to say, she's rather impressed. It's one thing to see a cliff with a series of massive stone faces carved into it, it's quite another to stand atop it and watch your friends and neighbors chip away at the stone with hammers and chisels and earth jutsu. It feels more real now, she supposes, like the war really is over and she won't need to fear for her life for a long, long time- which is stupid because she's a ninja and death is always a possibility, even if it's from something as simple as a misthrown kunai or a malformed ninjutsu.

Also the date of Madara's possible defection is coming up, but that's neither here nor there. Although, when Shikako thinks about it, Madara always has Sasuke in the case that Izuna still manages to die before the next three years are out. That should keep him from going nuts and enslaving the bijuu to kill everyone in his path and then later planning on trapping the world in a moon-based genjutsu, right? Or was that Tobi's plan? Will there be a Tobi this time around without a Madara to shape him?

As Sasuke steps up behind her and lays a concerned hand on her shoulder, she closes her eyes, lets out a shuddering breath, and tries not to think about it.

"I brought lunch," her partner says awkwardly, eyes shifting from her face to the village below and back again. "Er, unless you were thinking of seeing what food the Akimichi brought back with them? They're not quite done yet with building their compound yet, but I'm pretty sure the restaurants were the first things to go up after the clan head's home."

Shaking the cobwebs fro her mind, Shikako turns to Sasuke with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Onigiri is just fine, thanks. It'd be kinda dumb to go running down the mountain for those delicious Akimichi barbeque ribs when we have food right here." The Uchiha boy squints at her suspiciously. "Seriously, it's fine. It's not like we haven't had Akimichi cooking in twelve years or something."

"...Damn it, now I want some."

*

The thoughts come back as they're walking home from the Akimichi compound, still licking barbeque sauce from their fingers. The path they're on is familiar, for all that the dirt hasn't even had time to be properly packed down yet, and Shikako can't help but remember that in a hundred year's time, it would've passed by the training grounds and memorial stone.

Would that stone have fewer names on it, in the future, or more now that she and Sasuke are here?

Perhaps sensing her mood, her partner bumps her shoulder playfully, giving her a sharp smirk. "Not-It on having to tell your mom that we never ate those rice balls she made."

She twitches at that before shooting Sasuke a glare. "Hey, you were the one who wanted barbeque, not me! I was all set for onigiri but nooo, you had to have meat instead. Turning down the food my mom made with her own two hands for some out-clanner's mass-produced restaurant food, for shame!"

He quirks an eye brow and makes a show of thinking about it before shaking his head. "Nope, the power of Not-It is too strong. Still your problem." The kunoichi huffs but makes no effort to hide her smile. It's nice to be able to make jokes like these again and not have to worry about Pein or the Akatsuki or, kami forbid it, Sasuke's psychotic clan-killer of an older brother. She's had enough of worrying about the literal end of the world, thanks.

Now she just gets to worry about Sasuke's other psychotic older brother. 

The smile drops from Shikako's face at the unwelcome reminder and her expression sours to the point that her partner turns and looks at her with concern in his eyes.

"Shikako? Is something wrong?"

"We're gonna die here, aren't we?" Damn it. Fuck, she did not mean for that to slip out.

Sasuke stops in his tracks and shoots her a sharp look, eyes spinning to life in a blur of red and black. "What." he grits out, gaze flickering over her as if she's about to start spontaneously bleeding. 

She sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose to ward off the headache that this conversation will undoubtedly prove to be- if there's one thing that being stuck in the Warring Clans era has proved to her, it's that her partner can be just as stubborn as she is when it comes to things like the health and safety of their loved ones. Discussing their possible deaths? Yeah no, this isn't going to go over well.

"I suppose it's too much to hope for to ask you to drop it?"

"Yes. Start talking." Right. She expected that but ugh, she doesn't like this. 

"Fine. But not here, okay?" A hand grasps her upper arm with a bruising grip and in burst of speed, the pair shunshin away.

*

The two teens land in the clearing where the memorial stone would be in a puff of dust, sending Shikako into a coughing fit. Waving a hand to clear the air in front of her streaming eyes, she does her best to glare, croaking out “ We could have just walked you know!” 

Sasuke just rolls his eyes, looking profoundly unimpressed, before dropping down to sit on the bare earth, staring at her expectantly. Shikako runs a hand over her face, trying to marshal her thoughts into something that won’t have her partner panicking or furious with her yet again, and settles down into the dirt to join him.

“What do you remember about the founding of Konoha from our history classes at the academy?” A flicker of confusion passes through the Uchiha’s eyes but he shrugs, game enough to answer.

“Just the basics. The Uchiha and Senju were at war with each other because of some offense or another that was lost to history, with Uchiha facing heavier and heavier losses with each battle. Then a really harsh winter hit, the Uchiha were hungry enough to launch one last desperate hit on the Senju to try and get at their food supply, Izuna died, and Madara figured it wasn’t worth it anymore and agreed to peace. I think there was something about Hashirama insisting on meeting on neutral land so they had peace talks while floating on a boat in the Naka river? But that might just be a myth.”

Shikako fidgets with the hem of her shirt, folding it into little bunches as she tries not to meet Sasuke’s eyes. “Yeah. That’s mostly right, although you forgot to mention it was Tobirama who killed Izuna. There were a few other bits too, like how the Senju had near unlimited food because of the mokuton or how the Uchiha had-” Sasuke’s fingers close around hers, forcing them still as she slowly raises her head to meet his gaze. Her gut plummets at the careful patience on his face and the worry that lurks at the corner of his mouth.

“Shikako.” Nothing for it, then.

“Izuna is alive.” The concern changes out for confusion and his grip loosens just enough for her to pull her hands away, settling them on her bent knees. “Sasuke, Izuna is alive. No dead Izuna means that Madara and Hashirama were more willing to talk things out, which means the village was founded early. By three years! That’s three extra years to establish our power and set up trade routes before the next village is supposed to form. And, and in our textbooks, the Nara weren’t supposed to join Konoha until after the Akimichi and Yamanaka did, but here we were one of the first because of our alliance with the Uchiha! And don’t even get me started on Madara.” Her knuckles go white as her fingers clench down on her knees. 

“Konoha is going to be stronger than ever before, fewer people have died, Madara isn’t crazy, the Uchiha aren’t pariahs so no massacre- everything is better. But- but for us…” 

Sasuke’s hands settle upon hers, gently prying them free until he’s holding them again, just loosely enough so she could escape if she really wanted to. “Shikako. Breathe. What about us?” A few trembling breaths and she leans forward, resting her forehead on his shoulder.

“I won’t be able to get us home this time.” She feels the shoulder under her goes tense and she blinks back tears, failure burning hot in her throat. “It’s, it’s too different. Sasuke, we’ve changed history! Forever! There's no seal that will transport us back to their original bodies if we don’t know if we’ll even ever get born. There's a very real chance we will die before we ever see our Konoha again.” Her fingers are definitely leaving bruises on his by now but Sasuke makes no move to stop her from crushing his hands, which only makes Shikako feel worse.

“Sasuke, we are going to _die_ here, be it by Madara's hand or by natural causes, and I can’t stop it.” A silent _I’m sorry_ hangs between them and guilt squirms through her, making her shudder. For all that the situation is horrible, she can’t help the relief she feels that she won’t die alone. It makes her feel sick.

The silence stretches a moment longer before a warm sigh gusts across her ear and Sasuke’s grip tightens on her hands. “I suspected as much.” Shikako nearly headbutts her partner in her rush to pull back and stare at him, taking in his downcast eyes, bowed head, and forced smile. Sasuke scoffs a little at her expression of shock, a moment of forced levity despite their grief. 

“Don’t be so surprised. It's not like our history books back at the academy ever mentioned the famed Uchiha founder having an extra brother. I think I’d know if I’d found my name in one, right? And even if I wasn’t, the Uchiha were notorious for being anal about keeping good records- there’s a reason the police station had so much paperwork in it, you know. The sharingan is good for more than just battle, even if that’s its most common use.” 

Shikako just shakes her head slowly, brain still playing catch-up at Sasuke’s sudden acceptance. “I had no idea.” He tries to quirk a bitter smile at her for that, but it comes out as more of a grimace.

“Yeah. It isn’t a clan secret or anything, but, well. Yeah.” Another sigh and her heart throbs as her friend wilts inwards, pulling his hands free and wrapping his arms tight around himself in some semblance of a hug. His dark eyes glisten with unshed tears. “If I had existed before, then it should have come up in his family texts if nowhere else. This is a separate timeline. Even if we stay alive long enough to see Kakashi-sensei and Naruto born again, they. They won’t be _our_ Kakashi and N-naruto. And that’s. You know. A-assuming they’ll b-be born at all.” His voice cracks on the last word, sending fault lines through her chest.

If there will ever be a bright-grinned Uzumaki or a lackadaisical Hatake or a loving deer-boy twin, it won't be their friends but familiar strangers staring back. She can practically see the moment Sasuke’s heart shatters in his breast as he falls forward into her arms, sobbing brokenly. He makes a low noise like a dying cow and then she’s crying too, great gasping sobs that shudder through her body and shake her to her core. 

They will die here. And now, spoken aloud, that thought has become real. They wish it hadn't. They grieve.


	2. Of the Softest of Regrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which several heavy topics are discussed, our main characters feel things, our secondary characters also feel things, and the Uchiha gates get a makeover.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I am not... No, I know what is coming. 
> 
> Bury me beneath the trees I climbed when I was a child.
> 
> I know I shouldn't... But I do."
> 
> -Bitter Water by The Oh Hellos

After about an hour, Sasuke rouses from his emotional-exhaustion fueled doze to the feeling of a hand tugging at his hair. He goes stiff for a moment before he registers the green jacket under his cheek and the long braid brushing against his arm. Just Shikako then. 

"C'mon, wake up. I think… I think there's something I want to show you." A puff of warm air directly into his ear and he sits up with a sputter, preparing to give his team mate a piece of his mind- but upon seeing her face, he goes quiet. Shikako's eyes are bloodshot from crying and sticky tear tracks have left salt on her cheeks. Her skin is flushed, too, and if he didn't know better, he would almost think her feverish. She looks awful- although he doubts he looks much better. The reminders of their earlier conversation cling to them both, and Sasuke sags at the weight of it before mustering the energy to nod.

"Alright." He says simply, too tired for more. Shikako pulls together a wane smile before getting to her feet, hand extended to help him up, which he accepts with more grace than usual.

"This'll be a bit of trek, past Konoha's borders and nearly to that big lake in the East, but I'm pretty sure we can make it back by dinner if we hurry." She takes a moment to look at him then, expression nervous as if awaiting his protests, but Sasuke just nods his assent. He trusts her judgement, and besides, they'd be pretty pitiful shinobi if they couldn't even travel outside of Konoha's walls. When he says as much, her expression brightens and the small burst of satisfaction that brings him is enough for him to give her a smile in return.

"Well, no time like the present. Let's go." Shikako tugs Sasuke in the direction of the East gate and together they henge and slip through the afternoon crush and into the forest on the other side. They run for hours, his team mate's braid streaming out behind her like a comet's tail, and not once does she let go of his hand.

As the sky shifts overhead from deep blue to pale yellow to streaking orange, he finds he doesn't mind much at all.

*

It's nearing sunset when Shikako skids to a stop in front of an old wooden gate and its surrounding walls. A chipped and faded Nara mon is painted on the cross beam and his partner gestures to it with a slight smile. "The old Nara compound," she explains, somewhat unnecessarily, and Sasuke gives her an exasperated look for stating the obvious. Somehow that only seems to encourage her, and she launches into a detailed explanation of how the compound was set up and its daily functions before Konoha's founding. 

Sasuke sighs and shakes his head. He knows nervous rambling when he sees it, even if he wouldn't be caught dead doing it himself (he likes to pretend he has at least  _ some _ dignity left). 

"Shikako!" She breaks off immediately, looking sheepish. "So this is the old Nara compound. Cool. What is it you wanted to show me so badly?" At this, Shikako takes a deep breath and blows it out, long and slow. Sasuke studies her, eyes darting to catch the clenching of her jaw and the tightening at the corners of her eyes.

"That's… A simple question with an answer that's probably pretty simple, actually? But it leads to a whole lot of other stuff I think we need to talk about."

"And you don't want to." She winces at that, but nods. 

"And I don't want to." 

"Simple then," he shrugs. "We don't have to. If it's anything like earlier," she nods again and this time it's Sasuke's turn to bite back a wince, "then we can talk about it later. There's no rush and it's not like we're going anywhere." The tension seeps out of his team mate's form and she gives him a tired smile, grateful for his levity despite the darkness of the joke, given their current situation.

"Alright." Shikako drags herself up to her full height and turns to face him fully. “You know how Nara are really lazy, right? Well, part of that is because we’re all really smart and thus our brains need a lot of chakra to keep functioning- which is kind of hard when we’re really young, since our bodies don’t produce that much when we’re babies. So, naps.” 

Sasuke squints at her a bit for that. Shikako? Napping? The only time he’s ever seen her go to sleep willingly is when she’s literally too tired to do anything else. Perhaps reading the thought on his face, Shikako grins at him, mischief in her eyes. “I took after my mom- well, my first mom- more than my brother did.” Ah. Sasuke nods wisely; Yoshino truly was a terrifying woman. 

“Anyway, since babies need to conserve their chakra, they fall asleep all the time and Nara babies sleep more than most.” Shikako presses her hand to the gate and with a careful flaring of chakra, the wards part and allow the two of them to pass. “And every parent knows that if you can’t find your kid, they’re probably sleeping in the clan’s favorite napping spot.” At this, she grabs his hand again and drags him over to the central plaza- and to the massive willow tree growing right at its heart.

The tree is massive, growing to an impressive height that rises high above the surrounding buildings. Its branches are long, a verdant curtain that shades its gnarled and twisted roots nicely. From what little Sasuke can see of the trunk, it is thick and covered in craggy bark, perfect for climbing. Shikako smiles at it, nostalgia plain on her face.

"Pretty much every Nara ever has slept under this tree, and you can usually find one or two adults shirking their duties here too. Which means, if you bug 'em enough, you can learn your first lessons about shadow manipulation under its branches. I have a lot of good memories here. Sasuke," and here Shikako turns to him, smile going tremulous. "Sasuke, when I die, can you bury me under this tree?"

The breath is knocked from his lungs and all of a sudden, he feels light-headed. Shikako?  _ Dead _ ? The very thought seems inconceivable. His team mate is here, alive and vibrant, eyes shining wetly and a smile on her face. No. Just- just no!

"No." The word drops from his lips like stone, and Shikako's expression goes stricken. "No, not happening, I am  _ not _ burying you." She flinches and steps back, steeling herself to reply, and Sasuke takes a moment to breathe and pinch the bridge of his nose in hopes of warding off his impending headache. "Not what I meant. Just. Stop, okay- stop." 

And now his partner is looking wary. Not exactly an  _ improvement _ , but at least she seems ready to listen. 

"Shikako, it's not that I dislike you having a plan for this sort of stuff- although it's admittedly kind of creepy. It's that there's no way in  _ hell _ I am going to let you die before me." A look of understanding finally crosses her face and Sasuke carefully untenses and bites back a sigh of relief. Shikako, on her part, just laughs a little bit wetly and nods her assent.

"Yeah, being alone would kinda suck, wouldn't it? Fine then. When we die, we die together. Just- any plans on your end I should know about? You know, in case the worst happens." He hums to himself, taking a moment to think about it, before shrugging.

"By the gates of the new Uchiha compound, I guess. Didn't get much of a chance to have a family last round, it'd be nice to spend as much of my time as I can with them."

Shikako smiles softly and takes his hand again, swinging it back and forth as she tugs him back toward the compound entrance. "Yeah," she says, "I think I like that."

When they run back home, they run in silence with only the silver glow of the full moon to light their way. Shikako does not mention the thoughts of plum trees and paint that cross her mind, of making the Uchiha gates a grave to be proud of. Sasuke does not mention that if she were to die before him, it is very likely he would follow her into the grave soon after. 

Neither of them say anything- the other already knows.

*

Tobirama carefully sets down his brush and blows lightly on the ink to dry it, before setting the completed form on a stack of many others like it, ready to be dropped off on his brother's desk in the morning. Moonlight isn't exactly ideal to work by, but the night has its benefits- and given that it's nearing midsummer, he'll take the cooler temperatures and light breeze over the searing light of the noon sun any day. 

He takes a moment to lean back and relax, closing his eyes to better focus on his other senses. The clean-fresh scent of the Naka blows in on the breeze, and a cricket chirps merrily away in the corner. In the distance, the chakra signatures of his clan members glow like small stars. Most of them are happy and peaceful in their beds, although one or two seem to still be up and about- and if he focuses, he can just barely make out the sounds of a distant conversation.

".........If we practice……. it possible? Don't want…"

"...Not hard, it will just…… can't rush… not like that………"

Ah. It seems like not all of his students have made it home for the night. He can't say he's surprised, that Nara and Uchiha of his are oddly dedicated for a pair so young. Perhaps they were up late training again.

"... If we die…. Not enough to bury……… seals shouldn't explode…… make an awful mess…"

"Yes, because that's what…. focus on……. Would a coffin be…."

Oh. 

Tobirama struggles to his feet, near tripping over himself and the table in his haste, and rushes to the door, sliding it open with a bang. His wayward students stare at him in shock from across the street before exchanging guilty looks with each other.

"What the hell is going on." It is not a question, and the ice in his voice is enough to freeze them in their tracks. His students exchange another wordless glance and the Nara elbows the Uchiha boy while he rolls his eyes and nods, albeit reluctantly. She steps forward.

"Tobirama-sensei? We know we're still pretty young yet, but given that we're shinobi and all… What do you know about property rights and writing last wills and testaments?" 

Kami. Her eyes stare up at him imploringly, huge and round in her face, but all he can think of is how  _ young _ she looks. Can't be more than fourteen, just a few years older than Itama when he died. The Uchiha stands behind her, arms crossed and mouth twisted into an unwilling pout- it almost hurts, how much that expression mirrors Kawarama's when he didn't get his way.

Tobirama's shoulders slump under the weight of his many years as a shinobi. "You'll do it- whatever it is- regardless of my answer, won't you?" Another nod. He stands aside and pulls open the door for his students. "Alright. I'll help you. You mentioned seals?"

As small feet pad into his house, he huffs a sigh, praying that his students won't give him cause to regret this.

*

In the end, it's not Madara who betrays them. Perhaps it is Izuna, frustrated that no one is listening when he says that there will never be true peace so long as their enemies yet live. Perhaps it is Touka, who got a little too bored, a little too arrogant, and set out with her nagita to discover what, if anything, would finally give her a challenge. Perhaps it is Hashirama, tired of politics and responsibility, that left for one last adventure before he died.

In the end, it doesn't matter who's fault it is. The Nine Tails is angered, fiery in his rage, and his attention has been turned to Konoha. And it is Mito, Sasuke, and Shikako who are picked to stop him.

Madara and Shikaki argue against the council for hours about why this is a mistake, why it should be them instead. They are more powerful- older, wiser- regardless of Shikako's seals and Sasuke's sharingan and their shared determination and teamwork. Sending children to die in the place of their elders is wrong. Sending children to die  _ at all _ is wrong-  _ did we not create this village to keep this exact thing from happening _ ? 

"Have you thought about asking  _ us _ ?" Shikako points out dryly, and then she and Sasuke are suddenly in the council room, staring up at their brothers from the center floor. "These are our lives you're talking about. Don't we get in a say in how we use them?"

"You can't go, Aniki." And this is Sasuke, sorrowful eyes betraying his stony expression. "You have a clan to run."

"Fuck the clan!" Madara roars in response. How dare his little brother presume to think himself anything but the most important person in his life? Think for even a moment that he'd rather keep power than keep his darling otouto safe? Heavy is the head that wears the crown but fool be anyone who thinks that that is enough to keep him shackled when he has something to protect. "You're staying here and that's final!"

"No." Shikako says, gaze steady despite the red and black swirling in his eyes. "No, it's really not."

*

They set out at first light.

Madara burns down two training grounds in his rage and forever scorches the life from them in his grief.

Shikaki breaks a dozen training posts and has to be pinned down before he breaks any more.

Tobirama looks on in silence, gaze distant and expression cold. In the aftermath of the brothers' rage, he fills out paperwork for repairs and drafts up leave of absence forms for those too emotional to do their duty. He drowns himself in filing and glues together every broken piece in reach until not a bit of Konoha remains without his mark. Until people stop looking at him with faces full of pity and start eyeing him with respect. 

Tobirama is named Nidaime within the month and he can't help but laugh at that, thinking of the scrolls-worth of seals and requests hidden under his floor boards. 

In his own quiet way, he mourns.

*

The battle is as anticlimactic as all battles are. They fight, all shadows and wind and burnished, flashing steel. They win. The Kyuubi is sealed. They fall. Mito, the first jinchuriki, goes home alone.

In the end, it's not a tailed beast or sealing accident or an S class missing nin that kills them. It's simple chakra exhaustion. (Kakashi-sensei would be so proud.)

*

When Madara is presented with his little brother's body scroll, his eyes whirl red and black and blood drips down his cheeks like tears. He takes it in silence and walks away, head bowed. Shikaki sees his sister's scroll and wails, denying again and again that such a thing is possible. It is only when her body is released from the scroll and he holds her limp form in his arms that he finally lets himself cry. Tobirama goes still when Mito meets his eyes, before turning and running for the loose floorboard in his bedroom. When he comes back bearing a pair of storage scrolls tied with black ribbon and a stack of letters, the gathering crowd watches him with suspicion, but he bears their scrutiny with stoicism. (He knew, he knew,  _ he knew _ . This is only what he deserves.)

He offers half the letters to Shikaki, who takes them with eyes that leak gratitude. Madara nevers returns for his.

*

Sasuke is burned, as all Uchiha are, and his ashes are entombed in an iron box covered in elaborate seals drawn in blood. The clan's elders bury it six feet deep, right in between the posts of the entrance gate. Almost overnight, a pair of young plum trees are planted on either side and the gate is painted an alarming shade of purple. When it is repainted back to its standard red, the following morning it is found to be green. Then yellow. Then white with orange stripes. Eventually the elders give up on making the gate itself a respectful monument to the dead and place a large stone statue of "the hero of the Uchiha" in front of it instead. While it accumulates an alarming amount of bird droppings, it seems to be met with approval and the elders never find it mysteriously turning pink- at least, to their knowledge.

Shikako's grave is far more understated. Located at the heart of her clan compound, she is buried in a hand-carved wooden coffin decorated with delicate swirls. A cutting from the old Nara willow is planted at its head, and just like the plum trees, it too grows alarmingly quickly. Over the years, it's trunk bulges and twists to take on the shape of a young girl with braided hair. Upon seeing it, an aging Shikaki finds peace beneath its branches with a chisel and a wood-carving knife. When asked, all he can do is give a crooked grin.

"It's just not Shikako without her smile."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sorry :D
> 
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> 
> Also, see that temporary character death tag? Yeah, that still applies.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea when this will next update and I am sorry. I have it all outlined, though, which is good- if it takes me more than three months to update this I'll just post my outline, so you won't be left hanging, promise.


End file.
